Problem in PC, PSU shuts off the computer

[Ardan]

Okay, so I got this new PowerStream PSU (420W) in an Athlon XP 2500+ (chosen because I have big upgrades planned for January) to replace a defunct Antec 350W (SL350) that came with the SLK3700AMB. Well anyways, I noticed that the PC shuts off after a LONG while, and I have to flip the switch on the PSU and wait a few seconds, then flip it back on again. It says that this is either because of a short (unlikely) or because of a defective product inside my PC.

Okay, now i'm going to start swapping out parts to troubleshoot, but I have ONE question: Does anyone have an idea of what it might be? I am NOT going to swap the motherboard and I'm suspecting video card. The reason is because its given me troubles before, and the PC doesn't shut itself off when i'm in a DOS prompt or in non-GUI linux. I will first try the video card, and if absolutely nothing works, I will assume that it is the motherboard. Basically, it would have had to have happened when I turned my PC on last Saturday after it had been off for 12 hours or more. After running for the better part of two months and running solidly ever since (and NOT overclocked), it just now magically stops working properly.

Any thoughts? Well, it *did* reboot once, and no I don't have fast writes or the 1WS read/write options enabled either. I am hoping it is something like the soundcard, onboard lan or video, possibly even the linux HD because i'd rather replace one of those ones. If I have to replace the motherboard, which would be a good choice? I would like to use one of the new nForce2's with its integrated SATA (I have a SATA HDD) instead of 'expieriencing' Silicon Image's drivers. Does anyone know of a good one? How far I can push the FSB doesn't matter: I have an unlocked Athlon XP Barton, and would only set it to 11x200, nothing more.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

I had the same problem.
Everyone said it was more than likely the MOBO but could be ONE bad device.
It would shut down and I could smell a burning smell.

It worked fine for 3-yrs and then shut down.
I replaced the PSU. It worked for a week and then shut down.
I replaced that PSU and it worked for a day.
It proceeded to shut down once every 24-hrs.
Soon thereafter I could go 1-3 days before it shut down and needed to "rest" over-night before I could use it again.
I finally stripped down to a limited number of devices.
It hasn't shut down since and I've smelt a burning smell only once since then.

There are no burn marks, melts, low or high voltage readings or incontinuity readings anywhere.

A few weeks after this prob apparently seemed to be "solved," I began experiencing random reboots. It even rebooted durring a random reboot.

AV and worm/trojan scans found nothing.

I limited the number of devices to solve the first problem and flashed an old ghost image to solve the second problem and things have been rather perfect since then.

That's my 2 er 6 cents.

Good Luck!

 

[Ardan]

Updates! I was able to pinpoint that it could be the RAM in the computer AND the motherboard. Updates shortly